St. Joseph County considers layoffs to balance budget

CENTREVILLE — Facing a deficit in excess of $500,000 next year, the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners is considering employee layoffs for the first time since the 1980s.

A public hearing on the proposed 2010 budget is slated for 5:05 p.m. Tuesday in the county courthouse’s historic third-floor courtroom. The county’s proposed $14.6 million budget — which is slated to be voted on during the county board’s Dec. 1 meeting — will take effect on Jan. 1.

According to Anita Trayling, an appraiser with the county’s Equalization Department and one of seven employees whose positions face elimination, notices of potential layoffs were hand-delivered a week ago.

Trayling said the notice indicated that poor local and state economies, a decrease in operating revenues and increases in operating expenses all contributed to the need to cut the county’s staff.

Currently, the county has a payroll of about 175 employees.

Trayling said in addition to her position, departments in which employee cuts are being considered are:

• Juvenile Court.

• Human Resources.

• Finance.

• Register of Deeds (a part-time employee).

• Animal Control (the same part-time employee).

• Parks and Recreation.

• District Court.

In addition, two deputy positions with the county sheriff’s department's road patrol currently vacant would remain unfilled.

County Administrator Judy West-Wing could not be reached for comment.

Trayling said those affected by the proposed layoffs have an opportunity to appeal, a course of action Trayling said she will pursue. The deadline for such appeals is 4 p.m. Monday.